1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical generator or motor structures and more particularly to generator or motor commutation structures and means for aligning housings of dynamoelectric machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The design and manufacture of dynamo-electric machines such as motors and generators has often been distinguished in terms of the size of the machines. What is a proper design for a fractional horsepower motor may be inadequate for a very large motor.
In fractional horsepower or small motors or generators the emphasis in the prior art has been to make the motor or generator more powerful, smaller in size and lower in cost. The rising material costs and assembly costs have made cost reduction design and paramount objective in the manufacture of fractional horsepower electric motors.
The prior art commutators for fractional horsepower electric motors were composed of a spool shaped insulating member having a cylindrical central member and outwardly extending ridges at the ends of the cylindrical member. Commutator terminals were mounted on the cylindrical member with portions of the commutator terminals extending through apertures in the ridges of the insulating member. Since most commutators require a lathe turning by a diamond stylis, or "diamond turn" the outwardly extending ridges on each end made the diamond turn process more difficult. Some in the prior art attempted to eliminate one of the outwardly extending ridges by incorporating a plurality of commutator terminals having inwardly projecting hooks. The commutator terminals were held in a fixture while insulating material was injection molded between the commutator terminals to cure about the hooks. Although this prior art construction enabled the commutator to be easily "diamond turned", the process of injection molding the insulating material was expensive and added to the total cost of the electric motor.
Another problem encountered in the prior art fabrication of fractional horsepower electric motors was the alignment of a first motor housing relative to a second motor housing. In many cases, the first motor housing was made different from the second motor housing to facilitate alignment of the first and second motor housing. Different first and second motor housings added to the cost of the electric motor.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide an improved dynamo-electric machine with commutator means having a single outwardly extending portion which allows the commutator surfaces to be easily "diamond turned."
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved dynamo-electric machine having an insulating member which includes an outwardly extending portion having a plurality of apertures and a recess coaxial with an axis of the insulating member and extending partially therethrough for mounting a plurality of electrically conducting members.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved dynamo-electric machine having an insulating member and a plurality of electrically conducting members with portions thereof extending through apertures in an outwardly extending portion of the insulating member and with portions of the plurality of electrically conducting members extending into a recess of the insulating member for securing the electrically conducting members to the insulating member.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved dynamo-electric machine incorporating a first and a second machine housing and a permanent magnet means with the second machine housing being aligned relative to the first machine housing through cooperation with the permanent magnet means.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved dynamo-electric machine including a first and second machine housing and a permanent magnet mounted in the first machine housing to extend outwardly therefrom to enable alignment of the second machine housing through cooperation with the portion of the permanent magnet extending from the first machine housing.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved dynamo-electric machine having commutator means which can be fabricated at approximately one-third the cost of the prior art commutators.